Apple Cinnamon Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

OK, maybe my favorite new recipe is here, but I assume it is soon to be yours.

Continuing on with the fallthemed desserts, this week it is Apple Cinnamon Cake with Cinnamon Glaze. Apple recipes are the perfect autumn accompaniment, and combining them with cinnamon and toasted walnuts makes a hard-to-beat treat. I know you can already anticipate the warming scent that will be wafting from your kitchen as soon as the cake hits the oven. A little fact for you: I don’t like the word wafting, but I needed you to imagine the delightful smells floating through the air as you wait for your masterpiece to bake.

All right, just helping you know me better. I’m sure that shed all kinds of new light on me. A few words I do like are moist and tender, which is how this apple cake turns out.

It always makes me feel better that when fruit is the star attraction, somehow that second piece is OK. I mean, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? I wonder what a piece of apple cake a day keeps away. Probably me appearing anytime soon on Americas Next Top Model. Yeah, that’s the reason. Apple cake.

I guess I could walk around the Boulder Farmers’ Market and get some exercise. They are still around for a couple more weeks, and they have some great apples for all your baking/eating/bobbing needs and wants. Can’t beat the Farmers’ Market in the fall — such a happy, cozy place to be.

You can make your own home the happy cozy place of the season when you whip out this dessert for friends and family. I think you might even just become the “apple of their eye.” Another fact: I’m a cheeseball.

Now, follow the directions, put some love into it and invite me over when it’s done.

Apple Cinnamon Cake with Cinnamon Glaze

3-4 medium sized apples (I use gala and granny smith)

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

6 tbsp. melted unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease (I use parchment paper on bottom) an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking pan. Chop walnuts and toast for five to seven minutes, take out and set aside.

Core and roughly chop the apples.

Toss with lemon juice and set aside.

In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter, eggs and vanilla (batter will appear a little thick) until well combined.

Fold in apples until covered with batter, stir in toasted walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool. Prepare glaze. Take cake out of pan if desired and place on serving platter. Drizzle with cinnamon glaze and let set. Cut and serve.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. milk

Combine and stir until smooth. Pour milk in slowly, as you might need less or sometimes more depending if you want thick or thin glaze. (I prefer thin.)

You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to jdromega@aol.com.